Twentyfive
by yellow 14
Summary: A series of letters between Padma Patil and her sister from their twenty-fifth birthday.


Disclaimer: Don't own and never will

AN: This is my second entry to Vicky199416's happiest moment competitions follow up.

Dear Padma,

Happy birthday girl! Having fun in Brazil? It's probably warmer anyway. Over here, the weathers been horrible, non-stop rain. (Nothing-new there then!) Almost makes me wish that I could join you, but business is blooming like crazy! Ever since we did the wedding dresses for the Malfoy wedding, every witch and wizard wants to have our dresses and it feels like everyone is getting married!

Talking of which, has Terry popped the big question yet? I know that you two are practically married anyway, so why not make it official? You know mum and dad and pretty much the entire family are eager to hear the wedding bells for one of us and as yours truly is single and you're still in a relationship from your Hogwarts days, I figure you'll make it there first. (Hint, hint)

Anyway, I know that by the time you get this letter, it'll be weeks after our birthday, but I've sent along a card anyway and of course a bottle of your favourite perfume.

Love Parv

Dear Parvati,

Happy birthday! I know this letter will arrive too late, but the sentiment is there. I'm sending you a bottle of local perfume that I think you'll like.

It's amazing just how many different types of local magic there is out amongst the more remote Amazonian tribes, I swear it's like nothing you've ever seen. To think that Britain ignored such magic's because we thought that they were beneath us. If Hermione were here, she'd probably be over the moon, but last I heard, she's still in Norway on her honeymoon. Don't think you'd like all the bugs though, there are THOUSANDS of the critters. Literally thousands. Fortunately they tend to be interested in Terry rather than me, but it does make intimacy difficult.

How's business with you and Lav? Had any big orders since the Malfoy wedding? (I've only just seen the photos; you did a really good job!) It wouldn't surprise me if you two get flooded, only an idiot wouldn't see how good you are. I swear, if you and Lavender aren't buried in business, you must be doing something seriously wrong.

Love Padma

Dear Padma,

Our owls must have crossed mid-air; I got your letter the day after I sent mine! You were right about the perfume, it's wonderful, really unusual. Even Lavender approved and you know how fussy she is!

Tell you something really important though, I ran into an old boyfriend the other day. Remember Jean, from Beaubatons? He's getting married and I'm designing the dress for his bride! He's grown even more handsome since we dated back in our fourth year. Unfortunately, his fiancé is a bit…grating. Nothing is ever good enough for the woman! No sense of taste either, she wants me to dress her up like a peacock and massively overdo her dress. Maybe she's just being jealous over the fact that I used to date her fiancé.

Poor Terry, all those biting bugs and they're repelled by the good old Patil charm. Maybe that's why you managed to get rid of Belby before the Yule ball.

Love Parvati

Dear Parvati,

TERRY JUST PROPOSED! As you may have guessed, I'm more than a bit happy at the news. Of course I want you and Lav to design the dress, who else would I trust with something so important? I promise that I won't be as difficult as Jean's fiancé.

We had just set up camp for the night and I was setting up the protective charms that I do every night and Terry grabs me from behind in a hug. I think I scolded him for distracting me, but it's hard to come across angry enough to make it work when the person you're trying to scold is busy distracting you with kisses on your neck and shoulder and generally the places you like to be kissed. (Don't roll your eyes Parv, it's not like you're six years old anymore.) Anyway, when we finished romancing and generally being busy, he gave me the strangest of looks.

"Padma, we've been together for a while, haven't we?" he asked and I nodded.

"Yes, it's been a long time since you asked me to our first Hogsmeade date back in seventh year," I replied. I was pretty nervous about his line of questioning; I was half worried that he was breaking up with me. But then he got down on one knee and pulled out a small box.

"Padma Patil, will you do me the honour and privilege of marrying me?" he asked. I swear I couldn't so much as breath for a minute, much less answer Terry. I know how corny it sounds, but Merlin I simply couldn't speak at all. When I finally got my breath back I practically screamed yes at him and…well I'll leave it to your imagination.

Anyway, we're talking about getting married in May when we return from Brazil. We want all the family and friends around to see us get married and we know that'll be easier if we do it back in Britain. And I really don't think that mum and dad would ever forgive us if we left them out.

Before I forget, I want you and Lav to be my maids of honour. Between the two of you, I really couldn't think of anyone I'd rather ask.

Love Padma

Dear Padma,

IT'S ABOUT TIME! Seriously, I think just about everyone was waiting for you two to make that step. Even Ron and Hermione weren't that bad! Alright, maybe you two weren't that bad, but at least we could go to family gatherings and NOT have to answer questions as to whether Terry has popped the question yet. Now all I have to do is find someone who'll actually put up with me!

There was this really funny moment a few weeks ago, should really make you laugh. Remember how Ron and Lav were all over one another back in seventh year? Well we saw them earlier and Lav gave him one of her really flirty smiles, you know, the one she perfected in fifth year? Ron tripped up blushing and Hermione just gave the pair of us a killer glare. Really, I didn't dare look at Lav until we got away from them, it was just so funny! As if she'd want to go out with Ron again! Didn't stop us having a laugh at his expense though!

Really looking forward to your return next week, I can't wait to see you wearing your wedding dress that I've designed for you, even if it means having to put up with all the family asking when I'LL settle down with a nice boy.

Love Parvati

Dear Parvati Patil,

I am Healer Barkrun of St Mungo's hospital. By now you are no doubt aware of your sisters current condition. At her request, I am writing to you to inform you about her current health. Although she is currently in unconscious, she is stable and will make a full recovery in due course.

As you know, your sister was hit by a red Mercedes travelling at around seventy miles an hour and is lucky to still be alive. She is undergoing a series of treatments designed to help her slowly regain the use of her legs and lower body. Within the next two months, she will be walking about as if nothing happened.

Yours sincerely,

Healer Barkrun

Dear Padma,

I don't really know why I'm writing this letter. It's the middle of the night and I'm going to see you later today at the hospital, but I've got this horrible feeling, like something is wrong but I can't put my finger on it. Just a feeling, hairs at the back of my neck rising. It's stupid, I know. You're in St Mungo's hospital; nothing is going to get you there. You're stable and well on your way to recovery, but I have a horrible feeling that something is horribly wrong. When I see you tomorrow, we'll laugh about it and say how I'm being sillier than Lav with Ron.

You're going to love your dress, a simple red dress with understated elegance, just the way you like it. It's beautiful and I'm really looking forward to seeing it on you. Terry will be blown out of his mind, even if he is convinced that you would look beautiful even wearing a sack.

I know that you and Terry will be a very happy; you'll probably be one of those old married couples that everyone talks about when they talk about marriage.

Urgh, I'm sounding really soppy now. I'll see you tomorrow, I need my beauty sleep.

Love Parvati

Dear Parvati,

There are times when you have to trust your instincts and this is one of those times. I know that you can feel that something's wrong, despite our differences, we're still twin sisters and there are links stronger than life itself between us.

No one expected that some nutter would try to blow up St Mungo's with a bomb. And despite what the papers will speculate, I know it wasn't Death Eaters or someone affiliated with Voldemort. I heard the bomber shouting before he set off his bomb, screaming about how the Malfoy's were the Death Eaters that escaped and that it was his duty to punish them for their crimes.

I'm starting to feel faint now; I think that I've lost too much blood. Seems I took the brunt of the explosion, most of the room is still fairly intact. I wish I could say the same about me. Funny, after all we've been through and how much I expected to die during the Battle of Hogwarts that I should die here. Tell Terry I love him.

It's getting dark; everything seems to be moving in slow motion. I don't need to tell you what I need to tell you, you already know. Goodbye Parv, I'll miss you.

Dear P…Dear Pa…Dear sister,

It's been six months since we lost you and I still can't bring myself to even write your name. Half of my soul is missing and I feel so utterly destroyed that I can scarcely bring myself to get up in the morning.

I got your last letter, dear Merlin it hurt. You were right, it wasn't Death Eaters and the ilk, it was a group who called themselves the 'Real Dumbledore's Army' a group of witches and wizards who seem to think that it's their duty to kill anyone remotely connected to the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort. They were targeting Lucius Malfoy, who was in the room next to you. Stupid thing is that they got the room wrong and he was barely scratched. What kind of sick universe allows a creature like him to walk away unharmed, while my precious sister is killed!

Harry Potter has managed to shut these amateurs down really fast and their leaders are facing trial even as I write.

Please forgive the wet stains on the parchment, I can't stop myself crying these days. Lav keeps trying to help me and if it wasn't for her and the families help, I think our business would be going under. We used to wonder and joke about Cho in fifth year. The joke isn't so funny any more.

I was at your funeral, all dressed in white. Ironic really, the colour of death for our culture and the colour of a brides dress for the British. There were so many people there.

I know what you would say if you were here. You'd give me a cup of chai tea and tell me to focus on living. But first I need to say my goodbyes to you sister and so, at Lavender's suggestion, I'm going to say goodbye P…Pa…sister, I pray that I see you in the next life.

Love Parvati


End file.
